Improvement in bustles



UNITED i STATES, PATENTMOFFIGE.

JASON B. LOOMIS, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUSTLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 81,281, dated August 18, 1868.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAsoN B. LooMIs, of Chelsea, of the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bustles; and do hereby declare the same to be fully described in the following specification, and represented in the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a top view, and Fig. 2 a vertical section, of a bustle provided with my invention.

The bustle is composed of a waistband, a, and a series of bows or bowed springs, b b b l), arranged as shown in the drawings, and pro vided with end pockets c c c c and pocketed supporting-bands el el d, for sustaining the sprin gs.

The middles of the several springs are connected by a bow-spring, e, which may be arranged in a long pocket disposed lengthwise of and to project from the middle band el. A hook, j', is arranged at the lower end of the spring e, or near its junction with the lowest of the springs b l1 b l1.

At the junction of the middle band d with the waistband, a strap, g, is fastened, it being provided with a series of holes or eyelets, h 7L h, to enable it to be hooked on the hook-f. By means of the hoek and the eyeleted strap, the curvature of the spring e may be either increased or diminished, as occasion may require, for obtaining the desirable projection of the bustle from the back of a person while it may be applied thereto.

At the upper end of the spring e I apply to such spring and to the middle bandol a shield, abutment, or hooked piece of metal, k, which I fasten to the said band el. This piece of metal k hooks around the end of the spring e,

and is to prevent the spring e from piercing through the bustle or getting out of place. A similar guard may be` applied to the other end of the spring e, it desirable. A

I contemplate in some cases applying to the bustle more of the springs e, provided with hooks and adjustable straps; but, generally speaking, I believe but one spring and strap and hook, arranged at the middle of the bustle, will suffice.

I am aware of the bustle which constitutes the subject of the United States Patent No. 23,681, dated April 19, 1859, and therefore make no claim to such. My bustle differsfrom it in having the series of bow-springs arranged in pockets joined by ileXile connections, so as to enable the springs to be moved toward each other; and, furthermore, the springs arejoined by tleXile bands l l al, and by the bowingspring e, provided with the back-rest or eyeleted strap g. The construction of my bustle and the arrangement of its parts are not only different from those of the patented bustle, but they render mine simpler and easier of adjustment.

I therefore claiml. My arrangement of bow-springs b, connected as described, with the bow-sprin g e, the hook f or its equivalent, and the adjustingstrap g, the whole being applied to a waistband, as set forth.

2. The combination and arrangement of the shield or abutment la with the bustle made and provided with the spring e, as set forth.

JASOhI B. LOOMIS. Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, F. l?. HALE, Jr. 

